The Red Devils appear to remain in the market for further new signings as the summer market ticks into its closing stages, having already welcomed Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, Joshua Zirkzee and Noussair Mazraoui to Old Trafford in recent weeks.
United are expected to announce the £51million arrival of Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain on Friday, while they continue to be linked with a host of other players.
Further exits are expected from Old Trafford, including Scott McTominay completing his £30m switch to Serie A giants Napoli.
It could be a busy evening ahead for United, with Ashworth admitting that talks are ongoing when he was pressed on transfers following the Europa League draw in Monaco on Friday that saw Erik ten Hag’s side handed fixtures against Rangers, Porto, PAOK, Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce, Bodo/Glimt, Viktoria Plzen, FC Twente and FCSB in the new-look competition.
Update: Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth (R), in discussions with technical director Jason Wilcox (Getty Images)
“I had a few missed calls (during the draw). I kept getting nudged from [Ineos head of sport] Sir Dave Brailsford. My phone was vibrating,” Ashworth told the Daily Mail .
“Let’s see what happens, the window is still open and we have some conversations going on.”
He said that he expected Sancho to stay put as things stood then, also admitting mixed feelings over McTominay’s exit and criticising Premier League financial rules that lead to sales of homegrown players counting as pure profit in club accounts.
Quizzed on if United would add further to their squad before the deadline, he said: “I don't have to go into this because it is already said. We are always looking for opportunities to have the best squad.”
On why he was signing Ugarte, the Dutchman added: “We had three No10s, we didn't have any more holding midfielders, we had one. So that is the idea behind [signing him].”
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